Three Reasons to Cross the Golden Gate Bridge: Barrel Tasting, an Oscars Party, and a Cheese Making Class

If you've ever wondered how delicious cheese is made, then this is your chance to get in on the action. Award winning cheese maker, Sheana Davis will be leading a course on how to make your own tasty cheeses. The 90-minute class includes a hands-on demonstration of how to create Crème de Ricotta and Spring Leek Tapenade (yum!), plus a glass of Sonoma Valley wine, a tasting of artisan American cheeses, your own take-home recipes, and the Sonoma/Marin Cheese Trail Guide for your next visit up north. 3/2, $60, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. at 550 2nd Street West, Sonoma.

This is the event that wine enthusiasts have been waiting for – the 36th Annual Barrel Tasting Weekend in Alexander, Dry Creek, and Russian River Valleys. Why? Because this is your chance to sample wines straight from the barrel and talk with winemakers about their forthcoming batch of vino. If you taste something you like, you can even purchase that wine on the spot (often at a discount) then head back to the winery when the wine is bottled, typically 12-16 months later, to pick it up. Many of the wines you'll taste are so limited that buying "futures" is really your only chance to purchase them. So what are you waiting for? Admission is good for the entire weekend. See a map of all participating wineries here. 3/1 - 3/2, $50, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily.

Think you know who will take home a little gold man this year? Why not celebrate the year's best films by watching the Academy Awards live with your friends, family and fellow film aficionados at the fancy Rafael Film Center. The night includes an auction and raffles, savory appetizers and a gourmet dinner in your seat, plus wine from Francis Ford Coppola Winery (of course). 3/2, $65, 3:30 - 9:00 p.m. at 1118 Fourth Street, San Rafael.